Of Yokai and Hopeless Romantics

Chapter 10

" Your steak is good too, maybe just a little too much time on the grill," Toro said.

" I always have a problem with slightly overcooking things on the grill," Benihime said.

" You make up for it with your baking, it'll be hard to beat whatever you make for a dessert in the competition," Toro said.

" Good job everyone," Tugushi said. " Come next week I want you all to have a shopping list for what you'll be making for the competition. You'll also have free time to practice. This is a big opportunity, so give it your best."

" Yes sensei," they all said bowing.

With that, they cleaned up and headed out. Toro walked next to Benihime as she left the kitchen. Benihime stopped and looked at the path that headed towards the dorms and then turned away.

" Not going to your room?" Toro asked

" I'm going to the Arts Studio, I have a friend who would like this Hamburger Steak," Benihime said.

" A friend, anyone who you want to tell your senpai about?" Toro asked in a playful tone.

" He's just a friend, though Mari-san and Yayaka-chan, think he'd be a good boyfriend," Benihime said. Normally she wouldn't just tell anyone about her personal life, but after the Keiji incident, Toro had been there for Benihime. Being a Hannya she was able to relate to Benihime's surge of negative emotions more than even Yayaka could.

" Don't let your friends push you into anything you don't want to do," Toro said.

" I am not, I asked for their assistance, I simply do not agree with their choice in men," Benihime said.

" You should trust your gut, don't let your prior mistakes dictate your future relationship," Toro said as she split from Benihime heading towards the dorms.

Benihime headed towards the Arts Studio and when she arrived in the Painting Studio, sure enough, Shige was there wrapped up in his painting. Benihime walked behind Shige and peeked over his shoulder looking at the painting. What she saw amazed her, it was still very rough, but Shige had managed to capture the preternatural essence of the yokai girls. Yayaka exuded a smoldering sexuality, Mari a dark mischievous aura, and Benihime a cold almost haughty aura, but also there was some allure there. It truly spoke to how Shige viewed Benihime, he might hide it, but he did feel some attraction to her, it could be seen on the canvas. That though might have been because of the aura she had been using to counteract Yayaka's. Even if it was though, he hadn't drawn Yayaka in the same way. Looking at Inna's portrait, another one of Shige's talents shone through, he managed to make the human Inna with no supernatural essence, not be outshined by the yokai girls. Inna gave off a familial feeling, she balanced out the painting perfectly.

Benihime almost didn't want to interrupt Shige, there was something mesmerizing in standing behind him watching him work. " Shige-san," Benihime ventured.

" Uh...," Shige took his eyes away from his painting, refocusing on Benihime. " Hello, Benihime-san do you need something?"

" I finished my Cooking Club meeting and brought you some food," Benihime said presenting the leftover hamburger steak.

" You didn't have to do that, but thank you," Shige said and started eating. " This steak is amazing, it's way better than my mom's or Inna-chan's, don't tell them though."

Benihime blushed at the compliment, " I just thought with all the hard work you're putting in you could use a good meal," Benihime said pointing at the junk food wrappers by Shige's easel.

" I know, Inna-chan chewed me out already, but she doesn't get how important this painting is," Shige said.

Once again there was that aspect of Shige that Benihime found herself questioning. She was impressed by his skills, drawn to his passion, but always found herself questioning, what was the driving force behind that passion. Benihime finally made a decision, if she was going to truly give Shige a shot as a potential boyfriend, she had to know there was more to him than a want for money.

" If I am not out of place in asking, why is this painting so important to you? Is it the money from the auction?" Benihime asked.

" It is the money and it isn't, it's a bit complex," Shige said scratching his head. " The best way to explain it is that doing well at the auction will prove that my art has value, that I'm not destined to be a starving artist, but can make it as a professional artist."

" I think your art is already quite beautiful, it has a quality that most art does not," Benihime said truthfully.

" Thank you for your kind words," Shige said. " Unfortunately in the art world, it's not enough to be a good artist. There are a lot of great artists who die poor. I need to prove that art isn't a mistake."

" I guess the art world is quite unforgiving in that way. I have heard of artist like Van Gogh dying penniless," Benihime said.

" Exactly," Shige said. " It's not enough to be great, your art has to be able to find an audience, otherwise you'll end up just working odd jobs and doing art as more of a hobby."

" I do not believe that will be your fate, I may not be an artist, but I feel your talents will be recognized," Benihime said. Benihime was not just saying empty platitudes either, the otherworldly essence that Shige was able to put into his paintings would attract regular humans, just like a yokai's aura.

"Thank you again," Shige said finishing the steak. " Being a successful painter still means a lot of hard work though."

" Yes, but it does not mean you should not take care of yourself. If you were to fall ill because of your bad habits, you would not be able to finish your painting," Benihime said.

" I'm not that bad, I promise. Inna-chan and Mari-chan like to exaggerate things," Shige said.

" I must be going, Yayaka-chan is waiting for me in the dining hall," Benihime said. " I'm glad you liked my hamburger steak."

" Thank you again for dropping by," Shige said. He took a look at his easel, then looked back at Benihime. " Maybe I'll go to the dining hall too, it'll get Inna-chan off my back."

With that, both of them headed to the dining hall. The more she talked to Shige, the more she saw in him that she liked. He would never be the type to just knock someone off their feet, but slowly Benihime was seeing how he was more than the underwhelming first impression he made. Still, there was the question of whether there was chemistry between them, Shige might be attracted to her, but so were all the boys who wrote her love letters. Benihime needed to see if Shige would accept her faults, accept the Benihime that was not the perfect idol so much of the school believed her to be. Benihime felt she was building a rapport with Shige, but now it was up to her to start revealing more of herself, to let down some of her own walls and see how Shige reacted.